


Unshakable

by EnidZsasz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy Friendship, Just groping, Not fully explicit, and nakedness, dramione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:35:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23627017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnidZsasz/pseuds/EnidZsasz
Summary: Draco Returns to Hogwarts to help rebuild and bothers Hermione.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Unshakable

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an excuse to write Dramione. It sort of falls in line with Ethlien's Dramione works, but not entirely. Like I said, excuses.

He wanted nothing else than to have died back there during the war. It was a lot better than being face to face with everyone whom he tormented, everyone he hurt. His whole house was probably going to expect him to act like some kind of lightning rod for all their ills. The Auror looked him over and sighed before McMogonall took control, grabbing his shoulder roughly and leading him into the castle. Draco Malfoy, the boy who killed Dumbledore. The man who would rather be dead. 

McMongonall’s hand tightened around his shoulder as people started whispering, harshly scowling. He wouldn’t make a week, and he knew the only ones to mourn him would be his parents. Even then he was sure his father would be happier that his weak son was gone. 

“Malfoy?” Harry Potter stood from helping the few remaining medical witches run over the lighter wounds. He assumed that the major ones were transferred, or dead. 

“He is here to help.” McMongonall said in a loud voice. “Let’s all try to accept it. We need all the help we can.” Harry looked at him, Draco gave a short prayer that he’d be killed. Instead Harry stepped up closer to him and held out a hand to him. 

“If you promise.” Harry said quietly. Draco raised his hand and put it in his enemies hand. Harry smiled, shaking it as more harsh whispers ran through the gathering crowd. “We need someone to rebuild the bridge.” Draco nodded once leaving the dubious protection of Mongonall. He knew she hated him since the start of everything. 

“I can do that.” Draco said stiffly. He scowled towards the children, the children using levitation charms to clear rubble. “Where is everyone else?” 

“Um… busy.” Harry replied. He was being led to the slaughter, Draco felt it in his gut. Or maybe the painful burning sensation on his arm that refused to leave ever since _HE_ died. “Are you okay?” Draco scratched his cheek scowling. Harry was as tall as him now and he refused to acknowledge it by glaring at him. 

“Of course I am. I wouldn’t be anything else Potter.” he spat. Harry grimaced to him as they came across the bridge. Draco froze when he saw who was standing at the collapsed bridge. Hermione. She was taking liberal notes. It looked like examining in detail several large blocks of the bridge to the small parts of it. It looked like she had a single ‘part kind’ of the bridge in front of her. 

“I was told I was working alone.” he grumbled as she looked up from her notes. Her eyes flicked to him to Harry. 

“Harry? What is HE doing here?” Harry shrugged, as he went to the nearest block, not even looking at her. He noticed there was an accio mark on each block, and each ‘type’ of block and part had its own distinct mark. He half listened to the kind of hushed argument they were having about him. “That bastard tried to kill you!” he heard. 

“Tried and failed.” Harry replied. 

“HE KILLED-” 

“Accio…” Draco said, pulling out his wand and saying one of the accio marks. 

“NO!” He was hit from the side by a body just as the large bricks started to flock towards him. A muttered a quick protective charm and he realized Hermione had tackled him. All the stones however stacked themselves carefully together until they were a kind of tower. She slowly looked up and relaxed eyes darting from him to the tower of bricks. 

“Can you get off me?” he demanded. She lept off him like he burned him, canceling the charm and scowling at him. 

“That was dangerous.” she snapped, Harry left slowly leaving him along with her. Draco pointed to the tower. 

“They are all charmed to be able to BE repaired.” he snapped to her pushing himself up. 

“I didn’t KNOW that!” she snapped back stepping back to him. He glared down at her just as she glared back at him. “That was entirely too dangerous to do!” 

“And what do you care if I bury myself?” She went silent, frowning. With a huff she turned from him and went back to the bricks pulling out her wand. 

“Accio…” she spoke another one of the marks. Those stones began stacking themselves just like the other stack as she flushed red. He did another one and soon all the parts of the bridge were orderly stacked in neat towers. She kept looking at him with a scowl until they were done. “We can leave the repairs for tomorrow.” she told him and sighed. “I am sorry for…” 

“For trying to kill me?” he asked. She wasn’t looking at him. 

“I was trying to make sure you didn’t kill yourself. The last time we tried to use accio like that it was for fish and about a hundred of them all flung out towards us.” she said and put her hand to her face. “Why exactly are you here Malfoy?” 

“To die.” her eyes went wide as she stared at him. “Why else would I be here?” 

“What?” 

“You think I deserve it. Why leave it hanging out?” He stepped closer to her and she gave ground. “Just sodding do it Granger.” her back hit one of the towers and he stopped advancing on her. “I deserve it. I’m sure you believe it.” 

“You DE-...” her voice started sharp but was cut off as the bells rang for dinner. He straightened looking behind him. Harry was approaching them with Ron. 

“GET AWAY FROM HER YOU BASTARD!” Ron yelled, Hermione put herself between him and the two others as Ron pulled out his wand. 

“Ron.” Harry grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. Draco focused on the back of Hermione’s head as she stayed in front of him. “Stop. Enough people have been hurt.” Ron grimaced and finally lowered his wand. He watched as her arm lowered looking widely towards Harry. 

“I don’t need your protection Granger.” Draco snapped, she looked towards him. 

“Obviously you do with your lack of Slytherin selfishness.” she snapped back to him looking back to Ron. She had her wand at the ready, still as Ron and Harry went off to the side speaking to each other. 

“My lack? Would you prefer me firing off hexes at everyone?” he put his hands to his chest as she finally lowered her wand but didn’t put it away. She looked him over and frowned, holding out her hand at chest level. “What?” 

“We are going to go get something to eat.” Draco knocked her hand away from him. 

“No _WE_ are not.” she glared at him as he glowered back. “Fine.” she smiled smugly as he shoved his hands into his pockets hunching his shoulders as he followed her away back into the Castle and back into where everyone but one person, maybe two, wanted him dead. Even then he was sure that one of them just wanted to prolong his torture. 

Everyone was staring at them as he followed her waiting for someone to shout something, but she had her arms folded across her chest with her wand still out and he followed like a mongrel dog kicked into submission. There was little order among the tables he noted class robes but no real class ‘table’ as they settled down. A lot still looked shell shocked, and more than a few glared at him. “SIT.” she commanded. He glared at her by the empty part of the table they were at. 

“I am not a dog.” he told her. She pointed to the seat, he finally settled down on it as food started slowly appearing on the tables. Haltingly like everyone was overworked. Draco swallowed before he reached for water. No one smacked his hand, no one tried to stop him from eating. Hermione cast a glare around her and he felt just mild hostility leave as she sat on the edge of the table pushing a plate of hand pies away so she had room to sit. 

“Better?” she asked him. He looked up at her as she still kept watch, eating one hand pie as she did so. 

“What do you even mean?” 

“I assume your foul mood is based on lack of food.” he blinked up to her as she looked up sharply glaring. Someone retreated. “You know Goyle died in the battle.” he froze, staring into a cup of cold tea. “Crabbe is being sent to trial.” 

“What do you want me to do?” he hissed to her. “Put myself in shackles? Get kissed by a dementor?” she smiled at that. 

“Why are you here?” he stared more deeply into his cup. “If you wanted to off yourself there are better ways to do it.” 

“Maybe I just like suffering.” he said quietly. She sighed and he looked up at her. 

“Does the mark hurt?” he set the cup onto the table. “I heard that a comfrey press helps.” he was staring up at her and she looked away from him. 

“You just want to study it don’t you?” he asked quietly. 

“They _SAY_ , it’s un-removable.” she replied glaring at something. “But I think with him dead…” she drawled, tapping her wand on her arm. Whoever it was retreated. 

“Great, so I suffer to be a test subject.” he put his hand over the mark. It hadn’t started burning again, or maybe he was getting better at ignoring it. She sighed looking back to him and grabbing another pie. 

“Harry said you deserve it. So… you get the chance to prove it.” she told him flatly. “I figure some good can come from it, as I can put it to other perminate charms.” he took one of the hand pies by her rump. “Personally if it wasn’t against my ethics I would kill you.” he let out a sigh, he flinched as the tip of her wand went under his chin and forced him to look up at her. “SO yes, you get to be my test subject.” 

“Fantastic so its torture.” she dropped the wand grimacing and looking away from him. “Granger?” 

“I can’t… promise it won’t hurt. But…” 

“Oh please spare me.” he rolled his eyes finally taking a bite out of the pocket pie. 

“Lets go get that comfrey press.” he flinched looking back to her as she hopped off the table holding her hand out again. He smirked and put the pie into her hand. She glared at him as he put his hands back into his pockets. 

“Follow me then.” she rolled her eyes, eating his left overs as he followed her towards the remains of the medical ward. No one was there anymore really, a much larger hall was being used. But they were alone and he let a sort of relief filled him. Well he’d die alone at least and not embarrass his family name by begging. That was the least he could do for his… He blinked as she grabbed his arm dragging him towards a table where she set a small potion bottle.

“What.” she was rolling up his sleeve as he stayed there shocked. Once the mark was exposed to air the burning sensation started again. It felt like there was a hot coal laid on his arm he hissed in as she stared at it. 

“It’s not moving so that is a good sign.” She grabbed the potion bottle and looked at him before smacking it against the edge of the table, breaking it open rather than let his arm go to open it normally. The smell of comfrey invaded his senses as she began pouring the thick liquid onto the tattoo. “Draco?” he let out a long breath as the burning sensation retreated. She grabbed a clean set of gauze and started wrapping up the paste and the tattoo. “Does that feel better?” 

He let out a long series of pants as finally the pain retreated completely, at least for now. “Draco?” she asked. He looked up to her blinking, her hands were stalled on his arm. 

“Better.” he admitted quietly. 

“Good. It must be the mix of-” he blinked again as he listened to her. She dropped his arm to talk about the magical nature of potions, even a simple comfrey mix that a witch or wizard made could work. Grabbing out a small notepad and a pencil she started writing in it furiously as he watched her, confused. It was the first time he had ever seen someone act like this, and in a small way he was entranced, until some of the mix slipped out from under the bandage splattering on his shoe. 

He dropped his arm and started to move away from her but she grabbed him like a snake before he could get far. One hand of hers was still writing and she wasn’t even looking at him. “Where do you think you’re going?” he scowled at her. 

“Do you think we all can hold in daily needs?” he questioned back. She looked at him and let him go. 

“Make sure not to die on the way there. Those are useless on the dead.” he glared at her as she took notes. 

“I’ll try to disappoint you.” She flinched and slapped the notebook closed putting it back in her robes as he scrambled to get away from her. She followed him and he gave up trying to walk away from her when they reached the closest restrooms. “I don’t need an escort!” he quieted as she shoved him inside. 

“Obviously you do, hurry up.” he was completely mortified when she followed him in, heading in for the nearest stall. 

“IS this some kind of mah-gul thing?” he stammered over the muggle word. There was a rising anger inside of him and he buried it back down. 

“No Malfoy. If I can find a way to remove that, I can maybe apply it to other things. Like what my… our people… have.” she stayed near the stall and looked back at him. He slid down to the ground and put his head in his hands. 

“Just, just LEAVE me to suffer can you?” He heard a few steps getting closer to him before she smartly turned on her heel and left the bathroom. He was finally left alone, and wanted to do nothing more than to pull out his wand and off himself. It would be so much simpler. Why did he even think to come here? 

_“Draco…”_ he heard in his head. His father right. That was why he was tired of having to do everything his father said. To be his own person, and generally fuck up things for himself instead of having them fucked for him. Or maybe he really did want to end his family line? Draco wasn’t sure as he tried to ignore the voice of his father in his head begging him to come home. 

“Just where is the bastard?” he heard and raised his head. Weasly. Of course. 

“Ron, drop it. Enough people have suffered.” Hermione said. 

“After everything he did to you, you are letting him just go like that?” He stared at the door to the bathroom. “Is he in-” Draco smiled as Ron dropped off fast and there was a set of quick steps back. One did have to enjoy the small things when you are going to die in just a few moments. She was protecting him from Weasley, that was satisfying. “Fine. Don’t know why you’d help that bastard.” 

“It's not just about _HIM_ Ron.” Hermione stated. “Go on and get some sleep, you look awful.” Draco stood up and brushed himself off, it was time to stop being a mope. There wasn’t much time to leave an impression on people, at least the tiniest positive impression. Maybe. He doubted anyone could think of the Malfoy’s as anything but dirt for what they’d done. Maybe someone other than his mum would cry for him when he died. 

**  
  
  
**

Hermione waited for him to come out and while he looked more glum, he had a smirk on his face. She pushed past him as he exited and quickly did her business inside. She half expected him to have left and find some hole to crawl into before bothering her again, but he was waiting for her. “I do want to ask, just what did you do to come here?” she asked him. He scowled brows furrowing as he pushed off from the wall keeping his hands in his pockets. Hunched over she was reminded of a wounded animal. 

“I presented myself to the ministry for trial. They decided that I was too young and stupid to know better.” he answered her. Good he was following her, she had to find a space for him to sleep so that no one would think to find him and try to kill him. If she was able to reverse the dark mark she could apply that to other spells that were ‘perminate’ and quite possibly fix a lot of problems really fast. 

“Too stupid is right.” she snapped to him getting him to grimace. “Did you even regret killing him?” Draco stopped and she stopped a moment later turning back to him. “Sorry, come on.” Hermione raised her hand to motion him away. 

“I didn’t want to. I didn’t even do it… but it was my fault wasn’t it?” he mumbled. “I disarmed him. So it's all my fault.” He perked his head up and glared down at her as he straightened himself. “So why don't you get your revenge Granger?” She opened and closed her mouth looking away from him. “I started the war, is that what you want to hear?” 

“You didn’t start it.” she replied back. He pushed past her heading for the dorms, she grabbed his arm stalling him before he yanked his arm away facing her angrily. 

“What do you want a sorry? Sorry I’m a bastard? Sorry I am a terrible person? Sorry that I really wished I told Voldermort to sod off when he touched me?” He ranted. “He praised me! Praised me for being a sodding asshole! He _LIKED_ it. He liked _HURTING_ people Granger and wanted everyone to do it and be _LIKE_ doing it.” Draco went quieter. “It was easier, when I thought all you…” he gestured vaguely to her making her start to get more angry at him. “Were just…” he hissed out throwing his hands in the air. “This is the first time I ever did anything myself. So why don’t you just put me out of my misery?” 

“If I did that I would never find a way to… fix my parents.” she told him and he blinked to her blank and confused. “I erased all their memories of me. The only way to fix that… is torture. If I can reverse that.” she gestured to the mark. “Then maybe there is a way to bring their memories back without hurting them.” Draco flushed and put his hands back into his pockets. He was still angry and she was too. “Let's find a safe place for you to sleep.” 

“Sure, whatever you want.” he mumbled hunching himself in again. 

“I’m not telling you what to do with yourself Draco.” she snapped. He scowled at her and she scowled right back. “You shouldn’t need someone to tell you the right thing to do.” 

“The right thing?” he asked and took a step up to her. “Do you know what the right thing to do is for me right now?” She backed away from him until her back hit the wall. “Right now _they_ would tell me to kill you.” Hermione put her hand on his chest and pushed him away from her. 

“So…” she held up her hand. “Why don’t you?” Draco gaped to her then snapped his jaw shut with an audible clack. 

“Be….” he mumbled. 

“Because.” she prompted. 

“Because it isn’t right.” he finished not looking at her anymore. “It’s not right to do.” he said again. She sighed and held her hand out to him. “What?” 

“I want you to take my hand.” he put his hands back into his pockets and she rolled her eyes dropping her hand. 

“Why?” 

“Because, I just want you too.” she answered and frowned. “You could use the hand.” she said a moment later. He pulled out one of his hands and held it out limply, Herminone grabbed it and started dragging him towards the prefect rooms. They were all not being used either, people wanted to hole up together. She nodded as she noticed the dust there and dropped his hand. “This should be fine.” 

“What so I’m alone?” he asked. 

“So no one tries to kill you. We already have had several fights broken up between the kids.” she said and he flushed and settled down on a couch with a large cloud of dust going all around him. “We sent… a lot of kids home.” 

“Good.” he put his hand to his face, closing his eyes. “Aren’t you leaving?” he asked her, cocking his eyes at her. 

“Are you going to be okay?” he grimaced and she sighed heading to the door. “Stay safe alright? Harry is right. There has been enough suffering.” He dropped his hand down as she got to the door. “So please… do stay safe.” he didn’t respond as she left him there. She had to make sure Ron didn’t try anything, or anyone else for that matter. This was going to be interesting as they rebuilt the school, it was more than likely that the Slytherin house itself wouldn’t exist at all… she frowned. And anyone in the house banished with their wands broken it was already being bandied about.

She put her hands to her face breathing out, she just wanted peace, and it wasn’t coming anytime soon. Lots of kids were still being hurt, even ones she was sure just went along with it, sure that it was just the way it always was. She hadn’t been here, and she only had to trust those that were to do good. Draco being here complicated things, she put her thumbnail in her mouth and gnawed. She could use him, in more ways than one. Hermione looked back to the doors and whispered a few quick wards on the doors making sure that she’d know that he was protected as much as she could manage. 

She was going to use Draco to make sure that no more people suffered, if that bastard wanted to do good and be a decent person, then fine. But she can use him to make sure the kids didn’t get killed just for being a slytherin. That was objectively wrong. But then, in the off time she could study the dark mark and find a way to try to get rid of it. Which would bring in a LOT of attention from all those that followed _HIM_ to her. So she could take them all down in tandem with breaking the unbreakable. 

**====**

It took little over a week to ensure the bridge was fully repaired along with all the spells used to strengthen it, and keep it floating without many supports. Draco was inspecting the lastest spell making sure that they wouldn’t need to continually renew the spell. “It’s kind of brilliant, taking a tiny bit of free magic emanating from those that cross the bridge.” Hermione said next to him, with both hands on the broom as they inspected the underside. All the linked bricks there had the spells written on them like the accio marks. 

He noticed both her knuckles were white on the broom as she floated uneasily under it, talking nervously, though he wasn’t sure that he knew it was nervous or not nervous. “The more people we get to go through the bridge the stronger the spells to keep it up are. So we don’t have to keep casting all the spells.” He leaned forwards flying easily around her in a lazy figure eight as she watched still clutching the broom. He felt a smile take his lips as she hunched on herself, watching him as he let go of the broom with both hands. 

“Can’t fly a broom Granger?” he asked smugly. So miss perfect wasn’t perfect. Her cheeks flushed as she glowered at him. 

“I can fly just fine!” she snapped at him. Holding on with one hand he flew upside down now head level with her head. 

“Can you really?” he asked and made a large circle around her. She huffed and very slowly, and carefully leaned forwards getting out from under the bridge as he quite literally flew circles around her. 

“Show-off.” she mumbled as she landed onto the ground with a sigh of relief. He felt a laugh bubble out of him as she glared to him, he leaned casually on the broom as it hovered. 

“So Miss Perfect can’t ride a broom.” he taunted out of her reach, she was flushing red as he smirked, quickly rolling over and balancing on his broom, while laying on it on his back and pretending to sleep. 

“GET DOWN HERE SHOW-OFF!” he heard, and ignored. Feeling smug and happy for the first time he remembered as he really did show off. “I’ll knock you off your broom!” she snapped up and he cocked an eye open looking at her as she pointed the end of the broom at him. Being able to fly again was a wonderful feeling and he wanted to prolong it. 

“Hmm… no. I think I’ll take a nap.” he replied loudly and floated out of spell range just in case. He heard her fuming under him and grinned. 

“Bas-tard show off!” he heard a little while later and sat up as she floated up towards him on her broom. “Get down here!” 

“No.” he kept out of reach as she struggled. It really was comical, he spent what felt like years of his life training in Quidditch. “Need some lessons?” he questioned letting her within arms reach as she held on with one hand to grab at him. 

“From you?” she made another grab at him afraid to let go for too long to actually nab him. “As if I would ev-ver! Accept lessons from you!” Finally she grabbed his shoulder, holding on and shaking. He smirked and watched as she blanched. “Don’t you-DARE!” he grabbed her back making sure to keep a tight hold under her arms as he coaxed his broom, and thus hers to race upwards in the sky. Making her yell out the last word as he raced it into a large loop in the sky racing breakneck towards the ground before pulling up and coming to a slow stop in the middle of the bridge. She leapt off the broom and away from him panting heavily as he laughed finally hopping off his broom and kicking hers upright with his own. 

He stood there leaning against both of them smiling as she recovered glowering at him. “You are a bastard.” she mumbled to him. He laughed as she patted at her hair trying to reorder the mess that it was. 

“Did I claim I wasn’t?” he asked back and she flushed. “Need some broom lessons?” he asked, she folded her arms across her chest looking away from him. 

“Why on earth would you of all people help me on a broom?” he blinked and lost the smug happy feeling. Draco held out her broom to her grimacing. “I’m sorry.” he felt her hand briefly touch his as she took it. “I wasn’t ever good on a broom honestly.” He looked at her as she leaned against the side of the bridge. 

“But you are good at everything else?” he asked back and rolled his eyes. 

“I just study and practice a lot.” she went quiet for a little bit, looking to the ground of the bridge. “No real time to fly on a broom, I didn’t see a use for it if I learned to do…” she gestured vaguely in the air with her free hand. “But they are planning on outlawing that completely because of the death….eaters.” he scowled and looked away from her, starting to walk away. “Draco!” he didn’t stop until her hand grabbed the back of his robes. 

“What?” he demanded back. 

“Will you give me lessons?” he blinked at her as she stared down to the ground. 

“Fine.” he pulled away from her getting off the bridge, despite knowing that it was stable and knowing everything he most definitely didn’t want to know about its construction he knew that it would be a long while before it would be before it was completely and utterly stable. 

“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” she told his back and he stalled looking back at her. “So would you?” he gave her a confused look before she held up the broom. 

“Right. Sure.” he mumbled. She sighed. 

“You’re good on the broom.” she told him and he felt a small smile before he controlled himself. 

“But not as good as Potter apparently.” he said. Hermione rolled her eyes. 

“Well that is the only thing he’s good at.” she admitted smiling at him. He tried to smile again and it felt more like a sneer to him but she nodded at least. Looking more satisfied, that he was back into a generally better mood. “Though… please don’t ever do that again.” 

“Don’t like rollercoasters?” he asked back and she flushed. 

“Coasters are FINE I know how they are constructed and they have safeties! But every child is supposed to just fly around without so much as a safety strap!” Draco rolled his eyes at her. 

“You really don’t know much about flying do you?” she glowered back at him as she felt a smug smile take his lips. “Well, sure, let's all put babies on brooms and deliver them right? Like a stork!” 

“What are you talking about?” she demanded back at him making him laugh. 

“It’s what I was told when I was little. A witch and wizard come together and order a baby through an old spell and a flying stork man delivers them eight months later on a broom.” Hermione gaped to him before bursting into a laugh. “They deliver us through the chimney in a basket.” He smiled as she leaned against him laughing. “Still have mine.” 

“That is so absurd!” she managed out. He chuckled as she took in long gasping breaths in recovering herself. It was the first time he had actually heard her laugh. 

“Yes well, not as absurd as a boggart that looks like Snape in grandma’s clothes.” she burst into another peel of laughter, taking him down to the ground as the infectious laugh made her knees weak. 

“It's not good to speak ill of the dead!” she gasped in leaning forwards with her head on his chest. 

“Who says it’s ill? I thought he looked fabulous.” she kept laughing leaning into him as she gasped in between peels of laughter. 

“I can’t breathe!” she gasped in gripping the front of his clothes as she laughed. He felt a fantastic feeling as she grinned hiding her face in his chest as she dropped off into a weak giggle. “Good gad, I didn’t know you had a sense of humor.” he smiled, patting her back as she wiped tears from her eyes. 

“I know it’s a shock isn’t it?” she leaned back up one hand still on his chest as he dramatically put his hand over hers the other up like some kind of stage actor. “Draco Malfoy, a sense of humor. It's impossible.” he quipped dramatically. She giggled at him trying to keep another peel of laughter from escaping. “It’s better than plucking fairy wings for humor.” she laughed again falling over on top of him. 

“Oh god, my stomach hurts so badly.” she gasped in and rolled over on her back trapping one of his arms. “That’s your end goal isn’t it?” he grinned as she smiled brightly at him. 

“Yes I am an evil bastard after all. Making someone laugh themselves to death is just a perk of my job.” she giggled weakly. 

“Hermione?” Ron questioned Draco’s face fell as she scrambled upwards, brushing herself off quickly. He was slower to react as Ron glared at him. At least he had stopped trying to throw Hexs at the Slytherin, that was enough for Draco at the moment. She was still smiling, Ron held a large basket and put his hand on his hip where his wand was as he glared towards Draco. 

“Yes Ron?” she asked heading to his side. He gave one last glare towards Draco before she grabbed Ron’s free hand holding it between hers. Draco felt an irate sense enter him, that he turned from the two snuggling his foot under the brooms and kicking them both back up into his hands. 

“You missed lunch so… I thought you might need something.” Ron said. 

“Oh thanks, but me and…” Draco was walking away holding onto the brooms. “That sounds fantastic. Did you want to have a picnic?” Draco got out of earshot leaving the two to their little love nest alone as the insane sort of emotion of jealousy ran into his chest. Of course, there was no way he could be jealous. He already knew who he was going to marry since he was two years old. Draco grit his teeth, heading to put the brooms back. 

**  
  
**

Hermione watched Draco leave as Ron flushed when she pulled him towards the bridge and towards the now cleared area. “How can you stand being near him all day?” Ron mumbled as she helped him set out the meal. She grimaced, she and Draco had gotten some sandwiches earlier so she was still full, but she could probably fit in a little bit. 

“It’s not that bad.” she told him and smiled brightly towards him. She grabbed out a few bottles of butterbeer and kissed Ron’s cheek as he sat down by her on the small blanket he had put over all the food. He had pot pies and half of a pumpkin pie in the basket. “Come on, how is the rebuilding going on your end?” she asked. 

“My mom and dad are going to come back by with the Ministry to place the finishing touches. They finally got everyone obliviated that needs to be.” Hermione nodded popping the cork on the bottles and handing him one. 

“That’s good. I guess finally they took note we need more help?” Ron shrugged. “Or are they actually here to help?” 

“My dad said that they are just going to look things over.” he answered and she hissed out an irritated breath. “I’m just as annoyed as you are. They practically rolled over for everything now come in expecting that all us just go ‘good job at keeping the ferrets in the basket’ not that they did that.” 

“I’d say most wanted to be complicit.” she took a swig of the one perecent alcohol ‘beer’ wishing for something stronger. 

“You can’t say that!” Ron protested. “They all just wanted to live.” she rolled her eyes. 

“I know, but still. It doesn’t change the fact all of us,” she gestured to the school. “We were the hardest hit. They started killing anyone who wasn’t pure blood Ron, staring _WITH_ the ministry personnel.” Ron grimaced. 

“I’m sorry, but like it's been said, we just need to get through the last of this. Then start punching.” She sighed and nodded going back to smiling. “Are you doing good though? Despite having to deal with that weasel?” 

“Yep, we need to get everyone start going on the bridge. Otherwise we have to continue to cast spells on it.” Ron looked confused as she spoke. “Oh the way its made it takes a bit of free magic off everyone who is on it. Just the natural energy emanating from us.” She took another swig. “Once we find it, there is another spell that charges on the natural magic around the grounds.” 

“Yeah… sounds good.” Ron mumbled. “We got the paintings repaired. The fat lady is happier.” Ron said smiling towards her. 

“I’m sure we’ll all sleep better not hearing her sobbing all night long.” Hermione grinned at him taking another sip. Ron ate a pie as she picked apart hers eating just a little as she stayed with him. 

“Pie?” he asked, cutting up half the pumpkin pie. 

“Yeah.” she nibbled on the end of the pie feeling too full to eat. “It’s been too long since we’ve been alone hasn’t it?” she asked him and kissed his cheek. Ron flushed and nodded. She set the pie down into the basket leaning against him and putting her hand over hers. She kissed him and flinched when she heard someone clear their throat. She looked over to Draco and scowled at him. 

“Are we going to look for that book or not?” he asked her loudly. 

“Hey piss off!” Ron yelled. She sighed and stood up, Ron looked up at her and stood up fast by her. He put his arm around her waist hugging her possessively. 

“He is right,” she smiled, kissing him before gently pushing him away. “We need to make sure the bridge won't collapse. I am tired of having to cast strengthening spells on it three times a day.” Ron nodded, and quickly she helped him put all the things back into the basket. She kissed his cheek smiling as she walked towards Draco, he glowered to Ron before turning with her towards the castle. 

“So have fun?” he asked, smirking to her. Hermione glared towards him. 

“Yes I did.” she frowned as her stomach gave a wretched feeling along with a sense of lethargy. “Ugh, I shouldn’t have eaten anything.” 

“Poor thing.” he said sarcastically, getting her to glare at him. 

“You have something against me spending time with my boyfriend?” she demanded crossly. Draco’s smile turned a bit brittle. 

“Considering it's going to take years to find the proper book?” he asked back. She sighed deflating, not enjoying that he was going to be right. The library had been completely mismanaged to all hell and with the weakened protection spells around the castle during the war and attacks, a lot of the books were in the wrong places. Some of the books that were forbidden and tended to roam, did so at liberal. She had found a forbidden book last night among the history books leaving her to try to chain it back into the forbidden area. 

“Why did you remind me?” she gripped. “That’s just plain evil.” he put his hand on her back patting it in a mocking consoling manner. 

“At least we get to do your favorite thing, reading.” she gave out another frustrated sigh. 

“I get to try to remove the tattoo again.” she told him, Draco flinched almost stumbling to a halt before dropping his hand from her back. He continued on stuffing his hands back into his pockets with a wince from memory. The one time she tried in the week it did really hurt him as far as she knew. He said he wanted his arm cut off, nearly screaming it. She winced looking away from him. “Never mind. Lets just concentrate on finding that book the builder wrote.” 

“Whatever.” he mumbled. Hermione followed him to the chaos that was the library, like with everywhere else pretty much no one had been in here in any capacity for very long. The librarian had been detailed to tend to wounds and then by the ministry to help obliviate people. She scowled at a stack of books scattered on the tables one of them open with what looked like butterbeer stains across it. “Ugh, no respect.” she went to the book righting the mug and pulling out her wand, cleaning up the book before snapping it closed. 

“Would it be in the forbidden section?” they both looked to the locked area, not that it did much help. One of the books inside of there was slowly slinking its way towards the main library like some kind of strange bug. 

“Probably. Knowing all this,” she gestured vaguely. “They likely thought it too advanced or too bad for kids to know. Not that I hadn’t been in here since day one.” she kicked the book as they walked towards it. It gave an alien hiss, standing on its spine before taking off flying back into the forbidden section. 

“Hmm… no respect?” he asked her and she cocked her head right to him with a glare. Draco smirked as she glowered at him. 

“THAT one keeps trying to get into the main section. It’s a finger eating book.” Draco’s smile fell as he looked to where the book left. 

“WHY on earth would they have that thing in here?” he demanded. She rolled her eyes. 

“Probably just because. We can regrow fingers after all. So why care if someone gets them eaten off for being stupid right?” 

“Those books were all banned, and burned I thought.” she shrugged. “Yeah… they probably kept it for historical purposes. Because even a mad wizard enchanting human eating books is history and should be remembered fondly.” he commented. 

“Did that thing hit a nerve?” she asked him looking over several blank spaces in one wall of books. More migrating books, she’d have to check the main section again. 

“He was a great, great uncle.” Draco replied with a frown. “He wanted people to make biographies before they died, only he screwed up the spell and made a ton of man eating books instead of one that could copy memories so long as its within a person’s grasp.” 

“Sounds like a Malfoy.” she replied and he glowered back to her. “Just saying.” she reached out for what looked like a personal journal flipping it open. The words scrambled to get away from her eyes, flooding to the next page as she flipped at the pages. 

“I have a lot of terrible relatives.” he commented. “Harry is technically a cousin I think.” he scrunched his face. She blinked to him putting the book back as the last pages she noted were completely blacked from the fleeing letters. _‘A history of fear.’_ the title on the edge said. 

“Hmm, is he?” she asked. He nodded. “Any other crazy people in the family other then Harry?” Draco smiled and snorted. “That many?” she whistled reaching for another book, it was another type of history book. This one appeared to be normal as she skimmed it, a history of… she blinked and yawned, snapping it closed before it could affect her further. 

“Almost everyone. I might be the most sane.” Hermione grinned at him taking a step back into his back and elbowing him gently. He cocked his head back to her putting back one of the books. 

“Now that is a feat to be proud of.” she said. Draco smiled nodding graciously as he reached for another book. “How about we make a pile and go through them faster.” she yawned again, trying to shake off the effects of the book of sleep. 

“If you want to die go ahead, but I have to go through yet another test run of tattoo removal for an irate witch.” she groaned. 

“Come on, don’t be mean.” he shook his head, putting back another book. “You’re no fun now.” he blinked turning to her as she picked out another book. 

“Now?” she nodded frowning at the words blurring together. ‘A history of optics’ it said. She gave a disgusted sigh and shoved it back in. 

“You were in a good mood tormenting me on the broom, why don’t we do that tomorrow?” he stopped turning fully to her a confused look on his face. 

“Why?” she raised her hand patting his shoulder. 

“Because, if you are in a good mood it helps everything.” he scowled turning back to the books. “Plus you are easier to deal with when you aren’t going around glowering.” 

“So you only want me happy for your own benefit?” he snapped. 

“Not like that.” she reached for another book but stalled her hand before she touched it, her hair pricking out from electricity. “A history of lightning. Fantastic, good job arsehole.” she said jerking her hand back. Draco chuckled behind her. “Why on earth do they just IMBUE the books like this. Its stupid.” she folded her arms across her chest. Oh it was charming, after the first ten books. But when you find ‘a history of roaches’ and release a thousand of the things into the dorms at night it began to get tiring. 

“Amusement. Usually before they die they are normal books. But then they die and the books just start changing afterwards. There was some speculation that some of the weirder ones were written by Peeves before he died actually.” he commented. She looked back to him, he glowered at one title before skipping it. 

“I keep forgetting the ghosts are still around… do you think one of them knows who built the bridge?” Draco paused before grabbing one title turning to her blinking owlishly. 

“Fuck. That’s smart.” he put his hand to his chin. “If they will talk to us that is.” 

“Oh I’m sure at least Nick will help.” he gestured to himself. “The baron then.” he still frowned, holding his hands up. “Is there _ANYONE_ that you didn’t piss off royally?” He held his hands out to her, she blinked and laughed, taking one of them and shaking it. “Okay, so it will just be me then. I’m going to go talk to Nick.” 

“I’ll stick around, no sense in stopping the search. I doubt ‘a history of bridges’ is the book you are looking for though.” she squeezed his hand. 

“Be on the look-out for that book, I think it's pretty hungry.” 

“Good, I could use a firestarter.” she laughed finally dropping his hand before smiling as she left him in the section. She was in a good mood as she found one of the ghosts kindly asking for Nick and then asking him what she needed to know. Though, he really didn’t know the exact person, he at least knew a better time frame for its building leaving her heading back into the library. Draco was waiting with a small stack of books just on the outside of the forbidden area, in front of him was a large urn burning what looked like the man-eating book. “I hope all your fingers are intact.” she commented, he looked back up to her. He raised both hands and wiggled his fingers. “Good. Find anything?” she asked. He shook his head. 

“Me neither, Nick said he’d ask around, but he had a timeframe for the bridge. It was built twenty years after the founding.” Draco nodded, flipping his book back open. “Find anything interesting at least?” he shrugged and she sighed, heading by him on the padded bench. Flopping down she sighed and laid down head away from him. 

“Tired of reading?” he asked her. She sighed, closing her eyes. “Or just tired?” 

“All the teachers are coming back in a little bit with the ministry.” he went quiet as she told him. She heard him let out a tired sounding breath. 

“Probably just to mop everything up and take all the credit.” she sat up quickly blinking up at him. “That sounds like them, I think they liked the idea of Voldermort taking over. Makes them happy to not have to worry about obliviating humans and all the secrecy.” She pulled her knees to her blinking at him. “Most of them were complicit from what I heard. Rather join then to be killed.” 

“And all the people prosecuted for being half or muggle born?” she asked him. He grimaced looking away from her. 

“That… I really wish that never happened. And… wish I was smart enough to not have been an ass about it.” he told her. 

“Why were you?” he slapped his book closed. 

“I was told my whole life muggles… mudbloods…” she grimaced at the word. “Were the worst things, they were stupid, and weak, and I was just born better than them. Just for being a pure blood, and always having magic, and always being in a family with magic.” she nodded waiting for him to continue. “When you are taught that your whole life… it's hard to just stop.” she reached out taking his hand in hers as he blinked to her hand then to her face. 

“I am glad you are trying Draco. That’s what makes you better than all the rest of those pricks.” a ghost of a smile took his lips. “Alright, lets drop this, I’m sick of being upset over things I can’t change.” she scotted next to him as he lifted the book back up. She raised an eyebrow as she grabbed his wrist so she could read the title. 

“The moon witch? Book three, hmm…” he flushed. “I didn’t take you for romance.” he stiffened his spine looking affronted. 

“I do have to support my fourth cousin twice removed I have you know.” she burst into a quick laugh, making him smile as she leaned closer to him. “Should I start at the beginning?” he taunted. 

“I’ve read it before.” he grinned, flipping it open and waiting as he skimmed the page, watching as her eyes darted over the lines in the book. It was rare to have soft cover books in the library and these weren’t even well read with creases and dog ears. She drummed her fingers on his arm and he nodded, turning the page and skimming again. She yawned blinking slowly, it took little time for her to feel the creeping exhaustion and sleep to creep into her. Hermione didn’t fight against it, after such news she’d rather take a nap and ignore the fact that only now did it seem like the Ministry gave a crap about them. 

  
  


Draco looked to Hermione as she slept leaning on his shoulder. She snored lightly as she went deeper into sleep. He kept his shoulder hiked up so that she didn’t slip off him. He felt good, which was saying a lot as he stayed still, eyes grazing back to the book then back to her. Draco was jealous over Ron having her, but as long as things needed to be done… he pursed his lips smiling. He’d have time with her and he was sure he could stand that. Unlike how he could stand the woman his parents were pestering him to marry before the family backed out. It wasn’t as though they could. A lot of pure-blood families were in hot water for their dealings with Voldemort. 

But he was here, they were there, and weren’t going to press any sort of thing considering they could have their wands broken and be banished from the whole community. He could savor actually having someone enjoy spending time with him as long as he could manage. He was after all selfish. Draco slowly finished the last of the book keeping still so she could sleep, and because he wanted to keep her closer to him. “Granger?” he questioned when it started getting to be dinnertime. She mumbled incoherently. “Hermione?” he asked softly. She frowned squeezing her eyes shut and hiding her face into his shoulder. 

“No.” she mumbled and he smiled. 

“No what?” she groaned and cracked an eye open glaring at him ungratefully. 

“No, I don’t want to wake up. There is so much to do still.” she whined. He nodded sympathetically. 

“Well, I’m getting hungry, and it's going to be full dark outside.” he wasn’t not really but she groaned and sat back up groaning as she rubbed her neck and arched her neck from the odd angle she slept in. 

“You are boney.” she accused him. “Very uncomfortable as a pillow.” 

“Why don’t you transmute me into a pillow then?” he asked and she smiled as he stood, and stretched himself, offering his hand out to her. She took it and sighed, the dinner bell rang leaving her to put her hand to her face. Rubbing her eyes and yawning. 

“You are tempting me and I don’t like it. Maybe Ron, he’s less boney then you.” he grinned following her out of the library. He still hunched in on himself following her, but he held up one hand reaching out around her shoulders before stopping and shoving his hand back in his pocket before she noticed it. 

“What about flying practice?” he asked her, she stalled blinking. “Forgot about that promise?” he questioned. 

“I didn’t promise!” she retorted to him. He straighted. 

“Draco, I promise to go flying with you in the moonlight.” he mocked her voice. She flushed and looked away from him. 

“Now you're tormenting me again.” she accused him. He nodded to her as she flushed, glowering at him. 

“You need some serious training, who else is better than a former seeker?” she stepped up to him rising her hand and putting it on his chest. 

“You wont get me on a broom to save your life.” she told him darkly, but with a small smile. 

“They do have tandem brooms.” he replied back leaning into her space. Her cheeks were red as she smiled further tilting her head up. 

“Oh? And you want to go on a moonlight right with me?” his hand raised up on its own grazing the outside of her hair, she blinked as he leaned just a little farther down hand coming to the side of her face cupping her check. Her eyes fluttered close as he just barely grazed her lips with his. He heard a few steps getting closer to them and blanched, stepping away from her just as one kid raced from behind them towards where there was food. Hermione blinked her eyes open, blushing and turning away from him. 

“Yes well, it's indecent to not be a decent flyer.” he answered her scowling. He put her hand up brushing her hair nervously behind her ear. 

“Um… lets go get dinner?” she asked rather than said, he nodded following her and sticking his hands close to himself. “Well I can tell everyone I do like you.” she said quietly, stalling him. “Since you decided not to be a sodding asshole all the time.” 

“Is that all it takes to get friends?” he asked back, mood more soured. 

“Yes, although… I don’t have that many friends either. That isn't dead or wounded.” she sighed. “I wonder how many more ghosts there will be come winter.” 

“Probably not that many… we just have to be on the lookout for the death eater ones.” she nodded hanging back as they got to the dining room. “Is something wrong?” 

“No, Ron’s there.” he flicked his eyes over the table noticing the large crowd gathered around Ron and Harry. They looked comfortable, or rather more uncomfortable and hiding it as people were crowded in by them. “I’m not really hungry you?” the sandwiches had worn thin, but he shrugged. Going hungry wasn’t new, and they could ask for food to be brought to them, where ever she wanted to go. “Come on.” she turned on her heel nearly knocking into him and blushing again as he followed her quickly. 

“You don’t want to be in the crowd?” he asked her. 

“No. I hate people congratulating me on trying to kill a ton of people.” she answered. He stalled wincing but followed her before she could notice he had stopped. 

“I think I understand.” she looked back to him as they came to the still empty medical ward. He grit his teeth but followed her in. In a small corner she had set up a small testing area. With quite a bit of pain killing salves, not that they helped really. 

“OH! It's done!” Hermione went to the bottled potion she had made last night while he had been writhing in pain for about an hour. 

“What were you making?” he sat down rolling up the sleeve of his shirt and glancing down at the tattoo. It didn’t move, it didn’t writhe. It was just a tattoo. An unremovable, permanent painful tattoo that still ached like it had been just laid on his skin. He wondered if his father was proud of him as she opened up the bottle, and again comfrey wafted over to his nose. 

“Like I said, potions aren’t utterly just mix a, b, and c. It's about the MAGIC that goes in as well as the mix. It's how so many screw ups happen…” she said and took his wrist pulling it towards her and laying it on her lap as she began to smother it much more gently over the mark. The cooling effect was immediate and he sighed in relief relaxing. His other hand crept up her back, stopping at her shoulder as he leaned closer to her. She smelled like comfrey as she began far more carefully wrapping up the mark with the salve on it. 

“Draco?” she questioned hands stalling. 

“It feels better.” he answered his hand fisted on her lap before relaxing. “Much better.” he raised his hand cupping the side of her face as she looked at him, cheeks flushing. 

“Umm… I thought you… didn’t like…” she tilted her head as he leaned in kissing her fully. “Me.” she squeaked when he pulled away. 

“What can I say? You’ve grown on me.” he answered, and she gave a short breathless giggle. He wondered if she did that when Ron kissed her. Her shoulders slumped as she kissed him back smiling. He pressed back, deepening the kiss and even daring to swipe his tongue along the outside of her lips as she raised a hand and ran it through his hair. His hand traveled down from her cheek down to her chest, very gently cupping her breast in his hand. She let out a breathless moan hand fisting in his hair. 

“Okay, you definitely kiss a lot better than everyone else.” he paused blinking. He knew he wouldn't have had the first kiss, but even so he felt irate he wasn’t. It was silly, but then she was kissing along his jaw and he decided it wasn’t such an awful feeling. 

“This is okay?” he asked more firmly groping her. Her hand relaxed running back through and reordering his hair. 

“Yes, but um… first.” he paused drawing his other hand down to the small of her back. “Um… right. I’m not a virgin.” he nodded, he wasn’t either. “Are you?” he shook his head and she let out a sigh. “Thank Jesus.” 

“Jesus?” he questioned smiling at her completely baffled look. 

“Dear god don’t tell me you freaking pure-bloods haven’t heard-” he cut her off by kissing her, she frowned but kissed him back. “You can’t just kiss me any tim-” he kissed her again and she scowled. 

“Who hasn’t heard of Jesus?” he questioned back quietly one of his hands working to pull out her shirt from her pants. “I mean some of the purebloods worship him.” he told her. She smiled and kissed him, her hands starting to unbutton his shirt. 

“I’m so glad you are actually telling me things without me having to grill you.” he blushed as her hands roamed on his bare chest. 

“Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.” she giggled leaning forwards and kissing along his neck. 

“Good gad, can’t you like something like the Beatles?” she asked back. 

“No. Only punk.” she burst into a laugh holding on her stomach and he kept his hands on her sides. 

“You listen to muggle music?” she asked him breathlessly. He shrugged. “You do!” she accused.

“When you are trying to rebel in a pure-blood family…” he said and she grabbed onto his wrists guiding one hand back to her chest. 

“Ron hates it, well most of it.” he refused to let the mood sour if only because she had snuck his hand under her shirt and he was now groping her through the fabric of her bra. 

“I think we should talk less.” he told her and kissed her. “Or… I’ll have to kiss you every time you start talking.” she giggled again. 

“That’s okay with me.” he smiled as he kissed her, taking the less risky chance of swiping his tongue in her mouth. Her own tongue skimmed along the side of his and he wanted to grin but that was hard while kissing someone. So maybe being a test subject wasn’t so bad, if this was how they ended up. He was fully willing to let her try anything, and follow her around. In the aftermath she panted by him on one of the larger medical beds holding the blanket to her chest as they cuddled. 

"Alright, you get to get me on a broom." she told him turning into him and hugging him. 

"Phhff, so much hair." he spat out some of her hair making her laugh. "But good. We'll start slow, with bludgers." he felt her tense and scowl up at him as he tucked her head under his chin. 

"You best be joking." he stayed silent. "Please tell me you're joking!" 

"Fine, but I'll have to chase you." she relaxed. 

"That's not bad." 

"With a stick." he felt her scowl again. 

"Ughn. You are so mean." she put her face back into his chest. "Making this poor little witch learn how to ride a broom." he patted her consolingly as he pulled the covers further around them. He hoped he didn't have to accio his underwear to find it, since he wasn't exactly sure where it went. Though he did spy her bra hanging on one of the closest lights. "Can it be a _nice_ stick?" she whined. 

"I'm supposed to be a mean, selfish Slytherin, so no." she gave out a fake sob but snuggled closer to him. 

"Well be more selfish and make this place a bit warmer." she mumbled. At least their wands were nearby and he grabbed his sitting up. She looked up at him and he gave a smirk. "No. Don't you dare." He quickly grabbed her wand so she couldn't stop him. 

"Accio blanket." He said, a moment later she was sputtering and climbing out with him from under around seventy blankets. They'd definitely have to dig for their clothes, but that was too good to pass up. 

"I'll get you back for that." she snapped at him, taking several blankets to another bed as he followed, settling down more peacefully into two beds pushed together. She was right that it was warmer with several more blankets, but they would be warmer with clothes as well. He wasn't complaining, out of all the ways his life could have turned out he was grateful that he decided to run his own life. 


End file.
